Living and working legally in the United States is challenging when you’re not a citizen. Your immigration status can be a source of stress that takes over your entire life. There are hundreds of available visas, but your path to becoming a resident or US citizen is much easier if you choose the right visa right from the start. One of the most difficult visas to get is for political asylum status. An immigration lawyer can evaluate your case and establish the best visa for you and your needs. Here are some things that make someone eligible for political asylum status on your visa application.
You need to be present in the United States.
Regardless if you enter the country legally or illegally, you must be present in the United States when applying for asylum status. Filling out a visa application is a complicated process. Any mistakes in the application can make the approval process take much longer or jeopardize your chances of success.
After arriving in the United States, it’s best to contact an immigration attorney immediately. Being proactive about your immigration status can help you avoid the threat of deportation. You can also avoid wasting time submitting the wrong application. A candid immigration attorney will get the details of your case and then find you the best visa for your situation.
Due to persecution, you are unable or unwilling to return to your home country.
Unfortunately, being afraid of returning to your home country isn’t enough of a reason to be awarded political asylum status in the United States. You must demonstrate persecution in your country of origin to be eligible for this visa category.
You can either have experienced persecution in the past or have a well-founded fear of persecution in the future. Immigration law doesn’t outline exactly what qualifies as persecution. Coerced population control is mentioned, but in general, the threat of harm, death, or imprisonment all qualify.
Persecution is due to a specific category.
The most challenging part of qualifying for political asylum status is connecting persecution to one of the established grounds. For an applicant to receive a visa for asylum status, persecution must be due to:
- Religion
- Nationality
- Race
- Political association
- Social group
Having the right kind of evidence is essential for a visa application. An experienced immigration attorney, such as the Tampa Immigration Law Center, knows the type and amount of evidence you’ll need to receive a visa.
You haven’t engaged in an activity that bars you from asylum status.
Many visa applicants don’t know that specific actions (or inactions) permanently bar them from even applying for asylum status.
- Not filling out the visa application within one year of arriving in the United States
- Had a prior application denied by an immigration judge
- Can go to a third-party country by an existing agreement between the US and that country
There are many reasons why your visa application for asylum may be denied. With a skilled immigration attorney, you can prepare for the appeals process and improve the likelihood that you’ll receive a visa to work and live in the United States legally.
Schedule a call with Tampa Immigration Law Center to learn if your immigration case will qualify for political asylum status.
We’re on a mission to increase trust in immigration law by giving our clients candid guidance and upfront advice regarding their cases. Even with the most complicated issues, we take the time to explain every step of the process with complete transparency. Our founder is an immigrant and understands the stress surrounding immigration issues firsthand. That’s why every team member goes the extra mile to eliminate uncertainty in a wide range of immigration services, from deportation defense to naturalization.
If you need help with your or a loved one’s immigration status, schedule a call with Tampa Immigration Law Center to determine if your case qualifies for political asylum status.